Kanstul CTU 900/4B - BBb
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:52 pm
Has anyone played this tuba? Please post your experiences, thoughts and impressions. Thanks.
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:58 pm
You might drop a line to Howard Miyata, who's probably had the most experience of anyone on this horn.
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:41 pm
I got to try it quite a bit at SERTEC back in 05. My opinion was that it was one helluva horn. Big sound, FANTASTIC pistons, great response and that tune any note thing was really cool... especially the long 4th valve slide: You can play pedal B in tune with it because that damn thing pulls out nearly 2 feet!
I don't recall any intonation tendencies other than natural ones (sharp 5th partial, etc et al) but that was with my ears and not a tuner. The sound was consistant from bottom to top though. I wish I had the $5,000 to drop on it. The sound was good enough to convince me that a CC would be nice but not necessary.
I don't recall any intonation tendencies other than natural ones (sharp 5th partial, etc et al) but that was with my ears and not a tuner. The sound was consistant from bottom to top though. I wish I had the $5,000 to drop on it. The sound was good enough to convince me that a CC would be nice but not necessary.
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:59 pm
Prolly be handy for BB also!!Billy M. wrote: You can play pedal B in tune with it because that damn thing pulls out nearly 2 feet!
Now if I could bring myself to part with my current horns...............
...'cause I sure as heck don't have the green for a new one either.
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:36 pm
I'm not a professional tubaist, but I slept at Holiday Inn Express last night....... 
Anyway, I played the three valve version of this horn at the Kanstul factory /showroom in Anaheim last week. (All of the four valve 5/4 horns were at the NAMM show that weekend.) I also played the four valve 3/4 BBb horn, the euphs and a bass 'bone. I used a Sidey SSH on the tubas and a Bach 3G on the "bone and euphs.
I'm a semi-pro (ooh, another label category?) quintet, German band, show and orchestra player, using a Miraphone 186 and a Yamaha YBB-621, both in BBb, and an old Olds Shooting Star (George Roberts) bass trombone.
Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the 5/4 horn's sound, although I did think the horn was really well made, (the braces fall into the "now why didn't anyone think of that before?" file.) The horn has a relatively open wrap and I wondered why they didn't go with a more compact design. (The horn takes up more room than it should.) I thought it was lacking in the tone department, nowhere near as rich a sound as my 186. Range was good, though, and you can pop the really low notes.
The 3/4 horn was much better, in my opinion. Good tone and resonance and a handy package. The valves were very good on this horn, too. Neither horn was uncomfortable to play, ergonomically speaking, but I think they would sell better with an ergo valve set. (That seems to be a direction that some mfr's are going.)
I understand from one of the trumpet players in my quint that the Kanstul piccolo trumpet is one of THE pic's to have. And they are doing a lot of nice work with red brass bells on trumpets, fluegs and 'bones. I understand that they just completed a double french horn. I just think that they still have some refinement to do on their big horns. It's nice to have another American company making horns and I think their ship is on the horizon.
If you are in the area I would suggest making arrangements to go by and play their horns. They are very friendly and accomodating. (the day I was there all of the sales staff were gone to the NAMM show and one of the factory guys let me into the showroom. He was very knowledgable and obviously enjoys making these horns.)
Anyway, I played the three valve version of this horn at the Kanstul factory /showroom in Anaheim last week. (All of the four valve 5/4 horns were at the NAMM show that weekend.) I also played the four valve 3/4 BBb horn, the euphs and a bass 'bone. I used a Sidey SSH on the tubas and a Bach 3G on the "bone and euphs.
I'm a semi-pro (ooh, another label category?) quintet, German band, show and orchestra player, using a Miraphone 186 and a Yamaha YBB-621, both in BBb, and an old Olds Shooting Star (George Roberts) bass trombone.
Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the 5/4 horn's sound, although I did think the horn was really well made, (the braces fall into the "now why didn't anyone think of that before?" file.) The horn has a relatively open wrap and I wondered why they didn't go with a more compact design. (The horn takes up more room than it should.) I thought it was lacking in the tone department, nowhere near as rich a sound as my 186. Range was good, though, and you can pop the really low notes.
The 3/4 horn was much better, in my opinion. Good tone and resonance and a handy package. The valves were very good on this horn, too. Neither horn was uncomfortable to play, ergonomically speaking, but I think they would sell better with an ergo valve set. (That seems to be a direction that some mfr's are going.)
I understand from one of the trumpet players in my quint that the Kanstul piccolo trumpet is one of THE pic's to have. And they are doing a lot of nice work with red brass bells on trumpets, fluegs and 'bones. I understand that they just completed a double french horn. I just think that they still have some refinement to do on their big horns. It's nice to have another American company making horns and I think their ship is on the horizon.
If you are in the area I would suggest making arrangements to go by and play their horns. They are very friendly and accomodating. (the day I was there all of the sales staff were gone to the NAMM show and one of the factory guys let me into the showroom. He was very knowledgable and obviously enjoys making these horns.)